Reading Plus State Standards Alignment: Exemplars

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: HiE-36

Excerpt: The next day, as the ship drew near the Cape of Good Hope, the captain walked the deck with Otto. As they talked, they were grabbed from behind. Members of the crew tightly bound the captain and Otto. At the same instant, other sailors grabbed the ship's two officers and they too were bound. Now the ship was in the hands of the crew.

These wicked men made short work. They threw the captain, Otto, and the two mates into the sea. "Dead men tell no tales," said the man at the wheel.

Question: Read this excerpt. The man at the ship's wheel said, "Dead men tell no tales." What does this mean?

Those who are no longer living cannot tell others what really happened.
Those who help others will always receive help themselves.
Those who spend many years on the sea often have lonely lives.
Those who work only for money will not find true love or happiness.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Find examples in five selections of words that describe things you can hear, see, or touch.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: HiE-4

Excerpt: In 1849, Barnum made a trip to England. While he was there, he went to a concert where he heard Jenny Lind, a beautiful singer from Sweden. Jenny had a lovely voice and was the toast of all of Europe. Yet she was nearly unknown in the United States. Barnum asked her to come to America and do a series of concerts. She accepted, and Barnum named her the "Swedish Nightingale."

Question: In this excerpt, what does the phrase "the toast of all of Europe" mean?

to be popular all over Europe.
to have toast while visiting Europe.
to be laughed at all over Europe.
to drink a toast to Europe.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Choose a selection that included some unfamiliar vocabulary. Replace the unfamiliar words with synonyms that are easier to understand yet still convey the same meaning.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions

4B: Interpreting Analogies

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: HiE-25

Excerpt: Not all entries in William's diary were descriptions. He also included letters to and from other members of the Underground Railroad. Many letters told of slaves who had made it to safety. Others asked what to do if things didn't go as arranged. In the event that the mail might end up in the wrong hands, the letters were written in code:

"MR. STILL: I suppose you are somewhat uneasy because the goods did not come safe to hand on Monday evening, as you expected. The train only was from Harrisburg to Reading, and as it happened, the goods had to stay all night with us. We thought it expedient and wise to detain them until we could hear from you. There are two small boxes and two large ones. We have them all secure. What had better be done? Let us know."

Question: Read this excerpt. As part of the code, what are the "goods" in the second paragraph?

runaway slaves
slave catchers
newspaper articles
major cities

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Find examples in five selections of words that describe things you can hear, see, or touch.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions

5.4.R.3

Exemplars

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

SeeReader ✓ standard met

HiE-36

Writing ✓ standard met

Evaluator

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

SeeReader ✓ standard met

HiE-4

Writing ✓ standard met

Evaluator

4B: Interpreting Analogies

4B: Interpreting Analogies

SeeReader ✓ standard met

HiE-25

Writing ✓ standard met

Evaluator

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Writing
✓ standard met

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Writing
✓ standard met

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Writing
✓ standard met